My Courtyard Shelter

Chapter 48: Rotational Training Class

The mahjong game didn’t end until five o’clock in the afternoon because the power had come back on, but the sandstorm showed no signs of letting up. Today was indeed Aunt Xu’s lucky day; she won over 300 yuan all by herself, making her the biggest winner of the session. Zheng Yan came in second, winning about 120 yuan. Yang Lina and Wang Xiujuan both lost about the same amount—just over 200 yuan each. “My luck wasn’t great today. Let’s set a time to play again next time,” Wang Xiujuan said, still feeling a bit resentful. “Sure! Old Wang, you’re always welcome here,” Mrs. Xu replied with a smile. “Auntie Wang, I’ve put the lettuce in a bag for you. Don’t forget to grab it on your way out.” While Aunt Xu and Wang Xiujuan were bickering, Yang Lina had already picked a large bag full of lettuce. “Thank you, Nana.” “You’re welcome. We grew a bit too much lettuce this time—once you’ve finished what you have, come back and pick some more next time.” Zheng Yan came downstairs holding her youngest daughter, followed by Zhang Yong, who looked reluctant to leave. Wang Xiujuan stepped forward and picked up her eldest grandson. “Xiao Yong, say goodbye to Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, and Auntie.” “Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Auntie, Sister Ke Ke, Sister Le Le, goodbye!” Zhang Yong said in a babyish voice. The next day, the sandstorm continued. Xu Dong had promised Le Le earlier that he’d treat her to big shrimp today, and as a self-proclaimed good father, he certainly wouldn’t go back on his word easily. Early in the morning, Xu Dong accompanied Xu’s mother to the farmers’ market and a large supermarket to try his luck, but came up empty-handed. Not only was there no seafood at the market, but even vegetables were in short supply. With no other choice, they had to settle for the next best thing: dried shrimp. Dried shrimp has a shelf life of up to a year, and Xu Dong had actually stockpiled several dozen jin of it. At lunchtime, there was an extra dish on the table: seaweed, dried shrimp, and pumpkin soup. It was the first time Xu’s mom had made this dish, and it actually tasted pretty good. As soon as they heard it was time to eat, the twins rushed into the dining room, but after glancing at the table, their faces immediately fell. “Dad, where are the big shrimp? Didn’t you say we’d be having big shrimp today?” Le Le asked, pouting. Ever since the family’s financial situation had improved, the sisters’ dietary standards had skyrocketed, and their palates had become quite picky. Xu Dong looked a bit embarrassed; this was the first time he’d failed to keep a promise to his daughters. Yang Lina pointed to the pumpkin soup: “There are shrimp in here—how could Daddy lie to you?” Le Le took a closer look and said, her voice trembling with tears, “These are tiny shrimp—not big shrimp.” “These are just big shrimp that haven’t grown up yet—how can they not be big shrimp?” Yang Lina argued. Little Le Le hadn’t studied logic and was no match for an adult; she was left speechless and could only sob quietly in frustration. “Be a good girl, Le Le. Grandma made this shrimp soup herself. She’s already tasted it—it’s really delicious. Would you like to take a sip?” “Little sister, it really is delicious. Just take a sip!” As the older sister, Ke Ke was much more sensible than Le Le. In the end, it was Xu Dong who coaxed his little girl into drinking a bowl of seaweed, dried shrimp, and pumpkin soup. Perhaps she tasted the flavor of the large shrimp, because the little one finally stopped crying and broke into a smile. Yang Lina couldn’t help but roll her eyes: “You’re spoiling her. She’ll be in second grade in the second half of the year, and she really can’t handle even the slightest bit of disappointment.” “She’s just a little girl—there’s no need to be so strict,” Xu Dong said softly, trying to reason with her. At home, he’d always been the loving father. “If you’re not strict now, you’ll pay for it later.” “Hmph, I don’t like Mommy anymore.” The sandstorm in Yanjing lasted three days, and Xu Dong stayed home to rest for those three days as well. This latest sandstorm served as yet another wake-up call regarding the worsening drought, casting a shadow over everyone’s hearts. On May 15, life in the entire city of Yanjing began to return to normal, and Xu Dong was set to return to work. Early in the morning, the Power Company launched a massive cleanup campaign. Unsurprisingly, the Security Department, thanks to its numerical advantage, became the backbone of the effort. Section Chief Li began assigning tasks. Skipping over the earlier details, he turned directly to Xu Dong. “Xu, Captain Zhang’s bronchitis has flared up, and he’s already asked me for time off. The Beimen area is now your responsibility—make sure it’s completely cleaned up by noon. This afternoon, senior executives from Headquarters will be coming to inspect our work. This is a political task—there absolutely must be no slip-ups.” “Understood, Section Chief,” Xu Dong replied with a firm nod. After picking up his tools, Xu Dong led three subordinates and immediately began cleaning up Beimen. The Power Company was definitely pulling out all the stops to welcome the big boss from headquarters—they’d even deployed a water truck. The vehicles were the least of it—the real issue was the waste of water, which made Xu Dong wince just watching it. However, this water had all been “borrowed” from other organizations; the Power Company had monthly water conservation quotas and couldn’t possibly waste its own water allocation like this. After a morning of hard work, Beimen was finally swept spotless. Section Chief Li came over personally to inspect the work. After pointing out a few minor issues, he finally broke into a satisfied smile. “Xu, you did a great job.” “You can absolutely count on me to get the job done, Uncle Li,” Xu Dong said, patting his chest. “Good. Young people really do have drive.” Xu Dong blushed slightly and said, “Uncle Li, I’m already in my late thirties—I’m hardly a young man anymore.” “I say it, so it is. Stop by my office after work—I have something to discuss with you.” “Uncle Li, can’t we talk about it now?” Xu Dong asked, putting on a bold face. Section Chief Li shook his head and explained, “I’m busy right now—I don’t have time to chat with you! Just come by after work; it won’t take long.” Xu Dong nodded and agreed. That afternoon, the big boss from Headquarters arrived as scheduled. The main purpose of his visit was to express his appreciation and recognize the frontline employees. After all, it was these employees who had stood their ground during the sandstorm, fulfilling their duties and effectively ensuring the power supply to downtown Yanjing. However, as a busy and distinguished figure, the top executive stayed at the Power Company for less than an hour before leaving in a hurry. After work, Xu Dong knocked on Section Chief Li’s office door as agreed. “Is that you, Xiao Xu? Come on in.” “Uncle Li, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?” Xu Dong asked straight to the point. Section Chief Li smiled slightly: “It’s good news!” “What kind of good news?” “Recently, the Municipal Bureau has organized a rotational training program for police officers. They’ll be selecting elite officers from across the city for specialized training. Our Company happens to have one spot, and I’ve already submitted your name. Go home and get ready—you don’t need to come to work tomorrow. Just report directly to the Municipal Bureau Headquarters.” Xu Dong was completely dumbfounded and quickly asked, “Uncle Li, we’re not part of the police force—what does this police training program have to do with our Security Department?” “How could it not be related?” Section Chief Li explained eloquently: “We’re a state-owned enterprise, and the Security Department is essentially a reserve force for the police system. It’s okay if you don’t understand—just keep one thing straight: we are absolutely qualified to participate in this training session.” “Then why was I chosen? Can’t someone else go instead?”